Switzerland booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals after defeating Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw on Tuesday.
The victory sets up a last-eight clash with defending champions Argentina, who earlier defeated Egypt 3-2 to advance.
In a tightly contested match in Vancouver—the final Round of 16 fixture and the last tournament game played outside the United States—both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances during regulation time.
Colombia came closest in the first half when Gustavo Puerta’s curling effort forced an excellent save from Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. Switzerland responded through Fabian Rieder and Dan Ndoye, but Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas produced key saves to keep the scores level.
The deadlock persisted through the second half despite opportunities for both teams. Colombia’s Luis Suárez fired wide, while Switzerland’s Ndoye sent a late effort across the face of goal without finding a teammate.
Extra time produced the game’s best chances. Colombia defender Jhon Lucumí headed against the crossbar, while Kobel denied Jaminton Campaz with a fine save. At the other end, Vargas kept out substitute Zeki Amdouni before Campaz missed a late opportunity to win the match.
The contest was ultimately decided by penalties. After both teams missed spot-kicks, Kobel made the decisive save by stopping Cucho Hernández’s effort, allowing Ruben Vargas to convert the winning penalty and seal a 4-3 shootout victory.
Switzerland will now face Argentina in the quarter-finals in Kansas City on Saturday, as they seek to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time. The Swiss last reached the quarter-finals in 1954 when they hosted the tournament.